<table cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" border="0" ><tr><td valign="top" style="font: inherit;"><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="100%"><tbody><tr><td class="update" width="81%">Thursday, 26th November 2009</td>
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<td colspan="2" class="lead_title">UN report exposes FDLR global network </td>
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<td colspan="2" class="lead_title">BY JAMES KARUHANGA</td>
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<td colspan="2" class="lead_body"><p><strong>· Tanzania and Uganda cited as transit centres for FDLR weapons, recruits</strong> </p> <p><strong>KIGALI </strong>-
An explosive report from a UN group of experts has exposed a network of
allies comprising of individuals, companies, charities and governments
that have aided the survival of FDLR by supplying the ragtag rebel
outfit with arms in exchange for Congo’s minerals. </p> <p>FDLR, or
the so-called Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda, is a
militia group, today categorized by the US State Department as a
terrorist outfit. It is largely made up of former interahamwe militias
and ex-government forces responsible for the 1994 Genocide against the
Tutsi. </p> <p>The UN experts’ report that was leaked to the media
ahead of its unveiling, says FDLR rebels have been able to use vast
international networks to bolster their supply of arms and recruit
extra soldiers.</p> <p>The network includes Spanish charities,
Ukrainian arms dealers, corrupt African officials and even secret North
Korean weapon suppliers.</p> <p>The UN experts say they tracked down
240 calls between Germany-detained FDLR leader Ignace Murwanashyaka,
and his military commanders in DRC. These commanders also maintained
contacts in 25 countries in Europe and America.</p> <p>“Efforts to
uproot the group whose members are accused for masterminding the 1994
genocide against the Tutsi in Rwanda have failed largely due to the
FDLR’s ability to fund its campaigns through the illegal international
mineral trade,” the report says.</p> <p>The report that comes out days
after Germany arrested top leaders of the notorious group, hits at the
European nation alongside France for allowing these fugitives to
operate from their territories, directing military operations in Congo
in an open violation of UN sanctions.” </p> <p>Two Spanish charities -
the Fundació S’Olivar and Inshuti - which are funded by the government
of the Islas Baleares Province and linked to the Roman Catholic Church
- have been providing financial support to the FDLR, the report says. </p> <p>This
report, short of any serious accusations on Rwanda instead hits at her
neigbours Uganda, Tanzania and Burundi for illegal acts that aid and
abate the survival of the rebel outfit. </p> <p>It says that since
this year, FDLR and RUD-URUNANA have been recruiting hundreds of
combatants from Rwandan refugee camps in Uganda, and in particular the
camps of Nyakivale and Cyaka, “under the noses of the Ugandan military
which is supposed to have been preventing this.” </p> <p>“Ugandan
officials facilitate an illegal trade in gold mined from eastern
Congolese sites controlled and taxed by the FDLR,” the report says. </p> <p>The
report accuses Tanzania of making ‘significant deliveries’ of weapons
and ammunition via Lake Tanganyika to the FDLR, and says Tanzanians are
motivated by the need to retain influence over illegal trade with
Congo. </p> <p>“The FDLR maintain a relationship with Gen. Adolphe Nshimirimana, Burundi’s head of intelligence,” the report says. </p> <p>They
described as “suspicious” an attempt by Burundian officials to in
Malaysia 40,000 Steyr AUG assault rifles, which exceeded the needs of
the Burundian police. </p> <p>It singles out a Bujumbura-based
businessman Mutoka Ruganyira, a good friend of Gen. Nshimirimana, who
plays a key role in the illegal export of gold from Eastern Congo. <br>The
damning report castigates MONUC for doing virtually nothing in the
Congo and says it is partly responsible for the on-going mess. </p> <p>“Companies
are buying minerals from FDLR held territories in eastern DRC while
middlemen are smuggling millions of dollars in gold to Dubai every
year,” the report says.</p> <p>It calls upon the international
community to step up measures to stifle FDLR’s support network which
includes hard-line militant fugitives based in Europe and America as
well as foreign sympathizers in catholic charities.</p> <p>The current
developments come just days after reliable sources revealed the
existence of a ‘highly guarded secret and sensitive operation’ being
coordinated by some in the UN mission in the DRC (MONUC), to assist the
FDLR.</p> <p>It was alleged early this month that MONUC officials were
colluding to bring in medical assistance to a reportedly ailing FDLR
commander, Maj. Gen. Sylvestre Mudacumura.<br>MONUC vehemently denied the allegations. </p> <p><strong>Ends</strong></p></td></tr></tbody></table></td></tr></table><br>